ISO 9985:2026

Information and documentation — Transliteration of Armenian characters into Latin characters

This document establishes a system for the transliteration of Armenian characters into Latin characters, in accordance with the principles of stringent conversion in order to permit international information exchange, particularly by electronic means. This document can be used anyone with a clear understanding of the system, and is certain that it can be applied without ambiguity. This document focuses on the unambiguous written conversion. The correct pronunciation of the original text is out of the scope of this document.

Information et documentation — Translittération des caractères arméniens en caractères latins

Informatika in dokumentacija – Transliteracija armenskih znakov v latinične znake

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 08-Jan-2026
• ICS: 01.140.10 - Writing and transliteration
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 46 - Information and documentation
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 46 - Information and documentation
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 09-Jan-2026
• Due Date: 26-May-2026
• Completion Date: 09-Jan-2026
• Ref Project: oSIST ISO/DIS 9985:2025 - Information and documentation — Transliteration of Armenian characters into Latin characters

Relations

• Revises: ISO 9985:1996 - Information and documentation — Transliteration of Armenian characters into Latin characters
• Effective Date: 10-Jun-2023

Overview

ISO 9985:2026, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), specifies a detailed system for the transliteration of Armenian characters into Latin characters. The main objective of this international standard is to establish a stringent, unambiguous method for written conversion of Armenian script to Latin script, facilitating accurate international information exchange, especially by electronic means. ISO 9985:2026 targets users who require a reversible and consistent written representation of Armenian text in Latin characters, independent of pronunciation.

Key Topics

• Stringent Transliteration Principles: ISO 9985:2026 is designed for precise conversion, ensuring that every Armenian character-including letters and punctuation-can be represented uniquely in Latin script. This eliminates ambiguity and misinterpretation.
• Reversible System: The transliteration framework is fully reversible, allowing for the reliable recovery of the original Armenian text from its Latin-script counterpart.
• Application Scope: The standard is primarily intended for uses where the accurate written form is essential, such as libraries, archives, indexing, databases, and digital text processing. It is not focused on phonetic or pronunciation guides.
• Exclusion of Pronunciation: ISO 9985:2026 only covers the written conversion process and does not address how Armenian words should be pronounced.
• Updates Over Previous Edition: The second edition aligns the representation of aspirated and unaspirated consonant pairs, and standardizes the apostrophe marker for aspirated consonants to the vertical line apostrophe (Unicode 0027).

Applications

ISO 9985:2026 is particularly valuable in areas such as:

• Library and Archival Science: Enables accurate cataloguing and indexing of Armenian-language resources in international databases, ensuring discoverability and consistency.
• Digital Information Management: Supports software applications, electronic documents, and databases that require standardized romanization of Armenian characters for user interfaces, search, and data exchange.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Facilitates the standardized transcription of Armenian geographic names for maps, gazetteers, and location-based services.
• Academic Research and Publishing: Assists researchers and publishers in presenting Armenian terms and names in internationally accessible formats, maintaining equivalence between original and romanized texts.
• Government and International Organizations: Useful for immigration, diplomatic communication, and other official documents requiring the precise representation of names or titles from Armenian into Latin script.

Related Standards

Several national and international standards provide context or complementary guidance to ISO 9985:2026, including:

• ISO/IEC 10646 - Universal Coded Character Set (UCS): The Unicode standard assigns character codes referenced in this transliteration system.
• BGN/PCGN Romanization of Armenian (1981 System): Alternative romanization schemes used in geographical naming.
• United Nations Romanization Systems for Geographical Names: Guidance for the standardized transcription of place names.
• ALA-LC Romanization Table for Armenian: Commonly used in library cataloging, especially in the United States.
• Unicode Armenian Block: For reference to character codes and Unicode representations of Armenian script.

Practical Value

By providing a strict and reversible approach to the transliteration of Armenian script, ISO 9985:2026 supports global information sharing, interoperability, and consistent data management across multiple languages and scripts. Adoption of this standard by institutions, software developers, and international organizations ensures clarity, consistency, and reduced risk of miscommunication when Armenian text is rendered in Latin characters. This is critical for electronic records, digital archives, and any applications where exact correspondence between Armenian and Latin scripts is essential.

Standards Content (Sample)

International
Standard
ISO 9985
Second edition
Information and documentation —
2026-01
Transliteration of Armenian
characters into Latin characters
Information et documentation — Translittération des caractères
arméniens en caractères latins
Reference number
© ISO 2026
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Transliteration tables . 2
4.1 General .2
4.2 Armenian characters .2
4.3 Armenian punctuation .3
Bibliography . 4

iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 9985:1996), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows.
— Consonant pairs reflecting aspirated and unaspirated forms are all now shown visually consistently:
aspirates with a vertical line apostrophe, and unaspirated forms shown without a marker. This was
formerly the case for the p, t and k consonant pairs, and has now also been shown for rows 33 /c'/ and 14
/c/ and rows 25 / č'/ and 19 /č/.
— The aspirated consonants are now marked with a with neutral (vertical line) apostrophe (Unicode 0027)
rather than a standard apostrophe (2019).
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodi
...

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-junij-2025
Informatika in dokumentacija – Transliteracija armenskih znakov v latinične znake
Information and documentation — Transliteration of Armenian characters into Latin
characters
Information et documentation — Translittération des caractères arméniens en caractères
latins
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: ISO/DIS 9985
ICS:
01.140.10 Pisanje in prečrkovanje Writing and transliteration
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 9985
ISO/TC 46
Information and documentation —
Secretariat: AFNOR
Transliteration of Armenian
Voting begins on:
characters into Latin characters
2025-04-02
Information et documentation — Translittération des caractères
Voting terminates on:
arméniens en caractères latins
2025-06-25
ICS: 01.140.10
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
This document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED
TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE AND TO
PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
Reference number
ISO/DIS 9985:2025(en)
DRAFT
ISO/DIS 9985:2025(en)
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 9985
ISO/TC 46
Information and documentation —
Secretariat: AFNOR
Transliteration of Armenian
Voting begins on:
characters into Latin characters
Information et documentation — Translittération des caractères
Voting terminates on:
arméniens en caractères latins
ICS: 01.140.10
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
© ISO 2025
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
This document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat. BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
ISO copyright office
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
Phone: [phone]
RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE AND TO
PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland Reference number
ISO/DIS 9985:2025(en)
ii
ISO/DIS 9985:2025(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Transliteration tables . 2
4.1 General .2
4.2 Armenian characters .2
4.3 Armenian punctuation .3
Bibliography . 4

iii
ISO/DIS 9985:2025(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of
the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives). Attention is drawn to the possibility that some
of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for
identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any patent rights identified during the development
of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see
www.iso.org/patents). Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of
users and does not constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in t
...